Euro Pleat Drapery: Tradition Meets Modernity

Euro Pleat Drapery

Love the tailored look and opulent fullness of the classic pinch pleats but want a slightly dressed down, more contemporary version for a modern or transitional style home? Meet Euro pleat drapery – one of the most sought styles in custom drapery for its ability to harmonize with the traditional as well as the modern setting.

Also called Top tack pleats, Brisby pleats or Parisian pleats, Euro pleats are a modern take on traditional pinch pleats: much like pinch pleats in fullness and gather, but with a more casual bearing. 

If it is the one-of-its-kind, bespoke look that you crave for your windows, the stitched-in pleats variety – which cannot be found in busy aisles of superstores – is your answer. Spiffy Spools guarantees you that covetable tailor-made look and resourceful consultation besides tons of choices. In this blog, we aim to walk you through the features of the Euro pleat drapes, one of the dozen heading styles we offer.

Euro Pleat Drapery v/s Pinch Pleat Drapery

The pinch pleats, also known as French pleats, are a classic heading style adored by many for formal settings and/or traditional homes. Pleats are formed by delicately gathering the fabric into (two or three) folds and then pinching it at the bottom of the buckram – forming a ‘V’. Hence, the pleat opens in a flowery way, and as the fabric drops down toward the floor, the pleats control the fullness allowing the drape to fall smoothly and evenly.

Euro pinch pleats entail pinching the pleats at the top hem of the fabric. So, the pleats are closed on the top – forming an ‘inverted V’ – and the fabric freely billows down to the floor. This simple rendition enables it to gel with any decor unlike pinch pleats that imbibe the intricate embellishments characteristic of traditional interiors. Depending on the number of folds, both pinch pleats and Euro pleats get bifurcated further into double pinch and triple pinch varieties.

Two-Fold Euro Pleat Drapery v/s Three-Fold Euro Pleat Drapery

When a pleat is made by making two folds at the top of the hem, it is called Euro double pinch pleats. The pleats appear like an inverted V. The controlled gather lends a more contemporary look making it a strong candidate for modern house designs.

Euro Triple Pleat Drapery

If the pleat is formed by gathering three folds of the fabric at the top of the hem, it is called the Euro triple pinch pleat. The extra fold ensures greater fullness for that plush look well-deserved by a formal setting or traditional decor.

Why Euro Pleat Drapery?

Wanting only the best for our homes is healthy narcissism; wanting the befitting things for our home is wisdom. Each heading style translates into a different appeal, a different set of pros and cons. So, what is special about Euro pleat drapery? It offers an intermediary solution between the formal, tailored bearing of the pinch pleats and the casual appeal of some of the less structured heading styles. Apart from the fact that Euro pleat drapery offers the pinch pleats fans the possibility of dressing up a modern window in their favorite style, it has some other rather expedient features worth your  consideration. 

Waterfall Effect

Who doesn’t like a waterfall? And that’s the look that the Euro pleats ensure. The controlled fall, the uniform fullness and the graceful flow from the highest point of contact with the hardware – altogether evoke the waterfall effect. The fabric’s billowing fall and the plush gather imitates the restrained flow of waters cascading from the brim of a dam.

Versatility with Hardware

Euro pleat drapes can be mounted on both tracks and poles, which means clients rarely need to invest in new hardware to accommodate drapery in this style. Furthermore, depending on personal preferences, this style also offers the option to both hide or show off your hardware. The trick simply lies in correct measurements and how far up or down one inserts the drapery pins in the heading tape at back. 

Ease of Movement

When it comes to curtains that have been hung for a functional use rather than mere ornamentation, Euro pleats offer a fuss-free movement. Since drapes are hung with clips and rings, the ease of movement is assured, making this style a strong candidate for regularly used windows as compared to tab tops or rod pockets. This also makes them an excellent choice for extra tall and wide drapes. 

Full Coverage

Unlike grommets and tab tops that cause light leaks through the gaps, Euro pinch pleats are one of the few heading styles that can provide full coverage – ideal for bedrooms and nurseries. See our blog post on techniques for total light blockage for more details.

OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Every heading style is impressive in its own way and serves to meet a specific aesthetic vision. Euro pleat drapes are no exception. That said, it’s also important to carefully consider any limiting factors that may come with a given style. When considering Euro pleat drapery, the following are worth bearing in mind:

• More stacking room: Since Euro pleat drapery requires more fabric for fullness, it also therefore needs more stacking room than some other sleeker heading styles. So, they may not be a good solution for small windows, especially if there is no room on ends to accommodate the stack. 
• Precise measurement: Since it is a ‘stitched-in’ style of pleating, getting the width measures right is essential. You simply can’t stretch out the drape as you may do with grommet tops or rod pockets. 
• Mind the fullness: We recommend minimum 2x fullness with pleats at 4-inch intervals, lest they look sparse. Spiffy Spools’ Euro pleats are usually stitched with 2.5x fullness for a rich gather, but if you’re buying from another drapery studio, it’s worth enquiring what fullness they’d stitch your drapes to. 

How to Measure for Euro Pleat Drapes

Getting the measurements right is necessary but not a challenge if you follow all the steps in this extremely simple guide. But should you still have doubts, our consultants are just a click away!

Length: Whether you are using tracks or poles, if you want to hide it, measure the length from the top of the track/pole to the desired endpoint. If you want it to be visible, measure from the bottom of the track/pole to the endpoint.

The exact final length of pinch pleat drapery is determined by your personal preference – whether you’d like your hardware to show or not, and where you’d like the top edge of the drapery panel to sit/start.

Width: Measure width of your curtain pole/track. Add 7-10 inches to this measurement. This should be the final width of your panels *altogether* in a pair. For example, to cover a pole of width 70 inches, we recommend a total panel width of 77-80 inches. Then depending on whether you are looking for a single wide panel or a pair, you can either order one panel that is about 80 inches wide or two panels of 40 inches each.

How to Mount Euro Pleat Drapery

While there are multiple hardware options based on price and quality, we are ardent fans of the functional efficiency of a simple clip and pin mechanism.

Our Euro pleat drapes come with a 4-inch wide heading tape sewn on top at the back of the panels. Drapery pins should be inserted through the heading tape directly into the center of each pinch pleat. The tape allows for inserting pins at three different heights, giving extra flexibility to adjust the exact ‘seat’ and height of the drapes.  Once the drapery pins are inserted, the curved end of the pin goes through the eyelet of your drapery ring/clip or rod carrier. And that’s it! 

Final Words

Euro Pleat Drapes

Uniform fullness, controlled fall, tailored look, opulent gather, perfect coverage, traditional appeal, modish vibe – what more can one ask of a drape! If your decor is transitional, the one stitched-in heading style that syncs with it perfectly is the Euro pinch pleat style. No doubt whatsoever about its consistency with the modern. And for a traditional decor that is open to some streamlining, no safer bet than Euro to tightrope between the archetypal and contemporary. With so many advantages to its construction, such ease of installation, and such efficient service at Spiffy Spools, what can perhaps hold you back from getting your very own Euro pleat drapes today?

ALSO READ: FRENCH PLEAT DRAPES: BESPOKE ART FOR WINDOWS